Election '92 theme and opening segment

[henrygsterling]

Bring back this theme!!

[RyanTheHeretic]

This was the election I think even Conservatives must have wished they hadn't won. ERM, Back To Basics scandals, botched rail privatisation still draining billions in subsidies today, all topped off by 13 years of Labour majorities to follow. If Kinnock's Labour Party had won '92, things would have been vastly different - '97 may have been a genuine competition. And Blair's New Labour may never have arisen. You have to wonder, don't you...

[neil73]

@RyanTheHeretic Brilliant thought. However, Blair would've become PM after the death of John Smith, and I'm sure the idea of 'New Labour' had already infested that party. It has certainly changed since those days and not for the better. New Labour policies have f**ked this country up beyond recognition.

[aperson22222]

I assume they had a little egg on their faces at the end of the night.

[rand1182]

im just here for the rick wakeman awesomeness

[pimmagrimm]

the shy tory factor

[199019852007]

at 5:07 the moment they [redicted the election really wrong NK alreadly had his sheffield rally

[keda1981]

@199019852007 They went with what they had. The exit poll highly underestimated the Tory vote through no fault of their own.

[GamerYetPolitical92]

I was born in 1992 and i love this election i think major was a good pm and he should have won in 97 but those scandals did not help

[Myndir]

If Labour had won in 1992, they would have lost in 1997. Black Wednesday would have destroyed them as a political force, just like it fatally wounded the Tories.

[Awitsaduck]

@Myndir

I think given their reputation at the time, it would have actually have destroyed the party.

[PeteGeeza86]

John Major was the last Tory to win an election outright!

[Myndir]

@PeteGeeza86 John Major also won more votes than any party leader. Ever.

[tdp1909]

Damn - they all look so young!

[shussey100]

Wonderful happy days under a Conservative government.

[dartaddict]

@shussey100

I doubt that even many Tories would call the early 1990's "wonderful happy days", with the exception of their 1992 Election victory, of course.

[WORLD8NSH5KNIGHT1]

Thanks for uploading this.

[harrow233]

will we have the same theme tune in this years election night?

[FanaticFerrariFan]

@harrow233 Apparently not. It's been replaced for this year.

[Oneandoneself]

wow david dimbelby has coloured hair

[longlivejacko]

cant wait for election nite 2010 such a close election this time round. closest 4 20 yrs

[daro2096]

Wasn't the result in the end a Tory majority of 21?

[JamesBinns]

@daro2096 about a 36 CON majority

[daro2096]

I remember this. I stayed up til nearly 4am and then had to be up at 7.30 to go to school(I was in the lower sixth form at the time).

[davidsan01]

i thought the most famous street in the world was sesame street!

[tescoskick]

yeah they do im 23 and no my age gives a shit about it lol

[densaner77]

Is this the opening segment to 1992 or 2010? A Government that has been in power for 13 years beset by economic problems. A colourless Prime Minister facing the electorate for the first time. Mmm I wonder...

[opinionater]

Labour were lucky not to be elected to government in this election during this period with the conservative government having to deal with the recession of the early 90's, withdrawing from the ERM after black Wednesday, and vast amounts of political sleaze and bitter infighting over Europe, so in a funny way losing the 1992 general election probably contributed to Labour's landslide victory in 1997.

[slimes23]

No. The ERM debacle wouldn't have been as damaging for labour. The Tories would have been divided in opposition and labour would be leading the recovery. Hurd would have been clobbered in 96/97.

[jamallugo]

if he saying 10pm in the UK it would be 5pm where i am and nice opening theme

[WillAndersony]

Woah, how does David Dimbleby get to those places so fast?

[maxime32]

poll Fail

[johnfox3]

@maxime32 lolz! thats a big thing to fail

[Indul1]

Kinnock's speech in the early hours of the morning aFTER HE HAD LOST was great...one of his best..

[Biancas4]

Labour -for the working class and ordinary people-best joke I've heard this year! The latest job that Blair, the murderer has accepted is from a hedge fund! He will accept money from any source. As for Brown-abolishing the 10p threshold which helped lower earners-beggars belief.

The tories have to be an improvement on this useless bunch of hypocrites.

[papermariob]

THE BBC WERE MILES AWAY WITH THERE PREDICTION...

I predict the following prediction for the 2010 General Election...

CONS 350 LAB 215 LIB DEM 58

A Year ago I would have guessed that Cons would have got 400+... I dont think this will happen as David Cameron is a slimy Fat Bastard who knows nothing of REAL life. I suspect a slim Conservative win for 2010.. Labour WILL be back again... HISTORY ALWAYS REPEATS ITSELF.. I predict maybe 2 Terms for the Conservatives. I could be wrong

[aeronuk1]

Who cares who wins the 2010 election. Whoever wins nothing substantial will change for the better. All three main parties serve the internationalist NWO elite.

[pardeepsinghk]

These election themes sound as if they've just come out of the Soviet Union.

[rich1701]

This is what election 2010 will be like, too close to call.

[papermariob]

YOU ARE JOKING!!!!!

I will make a video of me eatting my foot and I will put it on Youtube if Gordon Brown wins the 2010 Election!

He has NO chance of winning.

It will be all-change in the next Election.

[rich1701]

I think you under estimate the swing cameron needs to win an outright majority, let alone a landslide. It will need to be the biggest in history.

[papermariob]

I HOPE you are right, But I hate to say it.. Cameron will be the next PM..

Time will of course tell. We will find out in May this Year.

I feel so sorry for the people who think "Dave" will wave his magic wand.

[KendoSaggyknackers]

I agree - the only thing the Tory Bullingdon Boy, Eton Dave will wave is millions of people's P45's, as he consigns another generation of ordinary (and, yes, working class) people to years on the unemployment scrapheap, (including me) while cossetting and pampering the rich and influential friends of the Conservative Party, giving them free rein to indulge and increase their already immense wealth and privilege.

[KendoSaggyknackers]

Perhaps the biggest disappointment however, is that in 12 years of government Labour did not do more to redress the imbalances and injustices which prevail in this country - neither have they overturned any of Margaret Thatcher's flagship privatizations of our core industries. None of those insidious, greed inducing schemes have been wholly or even partly reversed.

[madabbafan]

@rich1701 nope they need about a 7.5% swing (not taking boundry changes into account which actualy lowers this) When Liebour won in 1997 they had an 11.5% swing.

[rich1701]

I have no swingometer... but I do remain confused when i hear pundits on news channels saying in order win, the conservatives need a larger swing than Labour achieved in 1945...

[KendoSaggyknackers]

We'll all hold you to that promise! Even I will concede that Gordon Brown and the Labour Party winning an outright majority is unlikely. However, there is still a not unrealistic possibility of David Cameron and the Conservative Party not having sufficient numbers to govern with an outright, working majority...

[ajs41]

The funny thing is that the exit polls/final opinion polls in both 1983 and 2005 were absolutely correct, but in between they made mistakes, especially in 1987 and 1992.

1983 initial BBC prediction: C majority of 146 seats (144)

2005 initial BBC prediction: Lab majority of 66 seats (66)

99.9% correct in 1983 and 100% correct in 2005.

[papermariob]

I agree they were MILES away in there 1992 prediction.

[longlivejacko]

im young & im interested in politics but most ppl my age dont care. they dont vote and probs never will. i think politics shud be taught in primary/secondary schools. itll get kids involved. run sum elections with different candidates and stuff. i wudve loved it

[AlyceQuinn]

@longlivejacko primary students would never understand, but i think having it at GCSE level would work

[StarWarsKid59]

@longlivejacko i feel the same way

[TheMarlinspike]

@longlivejacko They should teach spelling too

[ImPoliticalOK]

@TheMarlinspike Fucking bully 

[TheMarlinspike]

@ImPoliticalOK Nothing wrong with maintaining educational standards. I would have thought that you, as a Tory, would have approved.

[ImPoliticalOK]

@TheMarlinspike But it ain't nice what u said im sorry but also wired question do u hate bieber

[TheMarlinspike]

@ImPoliticalOK do i hate bieber? who doesn't?

[ImPoliticalOK]

@TheMarlinspike Want to join my group

WeAllHateBieber

[Marnerbanana]

@longlivejacko

run unbiased political education at the same time as school elections or you'll get ignorant little brats swaying elections. my school may 2010 election; libdems won with around 375 votes to 80 con, 75 lab, 71 green, all after clegg's lies + a libdem biased history teacher ran the thing + one of the libdem sixth form candidates had big knockers so the younger lads voted for her (not being bitter i actually heard that being said!)

guess who ran the labour camp there? ;D

[haku8645]

I'm surprised no one's commented on how good the graphics are for 1992! One could be forgiven for mistaking this with a modern election! As soon as they cut over to the various places around the country it's obvious just how shiny and pristine that intro really was.

[XxLoveIsTheDrugxX]

tony king!!!

[marksteelejr]

being a netural to this election I am looking at CON majority 138 or more with several labour ministers losing seats

[KendoSaggyknackers]

A not entirely impossible, but merely highly unlikely outcome...

[MrTORYTOM]

I wish Labour won the hung parliament in 1992 because Michael Portillo would have been leader of the party after major and would have won 1997 and Blair and Brown would not of existed .

[gopconservative78]

in the 2010 election I believe PM Cameron will have a majority of 75-80, I believe that is possible, Labour now in 2009 was the Tories in 1996.

[SuperJames357]

could someone post all parts of this elecion. or tell me where you can get the video for the whole thing?

[motzPHaragas]

This election theme is great and epic.

[gopconservative78]

Lets be honest if Kinnock won 1992....they would be blown out in 1997 with the ERM under Labour. Granted I'm Conservative but the 4th win was a poison pill because if the ERM. We have been paying the price since. But 2010 will be a Tory Majority.

[slimes23]

No. The role that the ERM played in 1997 has been massively exagerated and in any case the reason that it hurt the Tories so much was that they had no one else to blame for it. A new labour government would have been able to benefit from the recovery and a divided tory party lead by Douglas Hurd. A labour government in its first term would have been much more united than a fag-end tory government in its fourth.

[stupidjunk978]

So disappointed on this night - was sure they were going to get kicked out. Fucking Kinnock.

[antonjon1]

It would have been much better in the long run for the Tories if they had lost in 92.

Kinnock would have been a poor and unpopular PM and the Tories would have probably returned to power in 97.

Such a shame, the 12 year New Labour wrecking spree would never have happened.

[BlastFurnaceCanada]

I remember this one -- CBC Newsworld was simulcasting this in Canada. I watched the first 15 minutes at 5 pm Eastern and left home thinking Kinnock would pull off a squeaker -- when I got back and saw Major had pulled it off I was shocked. I think this one pretty much put the kibbosh on exit polls everywhere in the democratic world, you just can't rely on them as a model.

[theyorkowl75]

I remember this election as the one were the exit poll was wrong and John Major was returned to downing street.Now those who think its going to be a tory landslide in 2010 then think agian it will be close very close just as this election in 92 was

[Durbs75]

Perhaps. But the difference in opinion poll ratings in the 12 months leading up to said election were considerably narrower than they are now. Plus, Major was seen as the lesser of two evils. I'd suggest that although people might be unsure of Cameron they're sick to death of Brown and will vote (or abstain) acordingly. Time will tell..

[madabbafan]

I remember the 'victory rally' the Labour party held the day before poling day. I'm still convinced that it was this that cost them the election.

Still in reality this was the last election in which we had a Labour party. New Labour are just wet Tories.

[NaMgKCa]

Shows what you know.

[RisingSunOfTheEast]

Would it be possible to find the rest of this somewhere? Would be an interesting few hours watching.

[madabbafan]

BBC Parliament occasionally re-show an entire election nights coverage. They have recently shown the 1979 one. Summer recess is coming up so they may show a couple then.

[Pulsar205]

Kinnock looked like a raving nutter and Major a wally. It brings back memories thanks.

'Will the last person to leave Britain please turn out the lights.'

[electricguitarplayr]

i thought this was the american election.

[cjr897]

Well we both got the best result out of them!

[mts1977]

'Fraid not. It's the Tories 4th win in a row when every poll predicted they'd lose the UK election. Thank God Kinnock never became PM.....

[Pulsar205]

It was only the prayers of the desperate that saved us from hard labour.

[Pulsar205]

that's when we had more money for flashier programmes

[Durbs75]

Hung parliament? A swing and a miss! Unusual, though, to be fair...

[solidarity4justice]

If Kinnock had won this General election Britain wouldn't be in such a fucking mess as it is now with the Blairites and New Labour. We would never had heard of Tony Blair.

[gleabe07]

Agreed. It also shows what a mistake the Tory MPs did in throwing Thatcher out.

[Schnorbs]

I love this version of the music - it's fully orchestral, with sweeping choirs. Rather dramatic for the likes ofJohn Major and Paddy Ashdown, though! In the run-up to the election, I wrote to Peter Snow and got a signed photograph. I was 11, and (as it was the holidays) I was allowed to stay up until 2am (which was Chris Patten losing his seat).

[sheltorx]

Election 1992... First time I got to vote!

[nintendolad]

The 2010 will be my first. Whats the experience like?

[idlevice066]

o dear

[gopconservative78]

If you don't vote Labour...you are beaten by unions

[nintendolad]

Thats not what i asked, i said what is the experience like, the feeling of casting one's first vote, not what would happen if i don't vote labour.

[Formula1MotorRacing]

It will be my first time as well. Can't wait.

[gopconservative78]

they place an anal probe in your arse to make sure you only vote once

[slimes23]

It's quite fun. one of the nice things about it is how informal it is. Just a couple of people ask your name and address and cross you off a list. They then give you a ballot paper and u mark it in a voting booth.

Not like in America where they have to check every last detail to make sure ur not black, I mean a convict. No offence to the US but I don't think they've ever organised an election properly.

[nickalbion1234]

Will be my first too, cannot wait to play my part in the demolition of Labour =D

[gopconservative78]

David Cameron will be the next Maggie Thatcher!  I think the Tories will win 339-349 seats...a workable majority.

[scotstory]

Thats not a majority, thats a loss u have predicted. Look at ur figures

[Medeasbiggestfan]

It is a majority, the post will be at 326 in the next House of Commons.

[mrbluesky1uk]

I don't think so. Will the country really want a stuck up toffy nosed git like him in charge? He has no policies, no carisma, no experience. The guy has never had a proper job before he entered parliament. He has been a parasite from his fathers vast wealth.

I think hung parliament with the liberals wanting PR for their support.

[idlevice066]

That comment to me shows ignorance on your part David Cameron does have policies he has unvieled plans for local gov, he is against ID card etc (watch the news, read a paper) He obviously does have charisma or he wouldnt be ahead in the polls, experience means jack look at Obama barely anything a yet he holds one of the most powerful offices in the world. As wealth most of those in parliament are public school boys Blair and Brown were Cameron is a slightly bigger public school boy!

[theredraven]

I suppose a return to the upper class Tory toffs of the old days is better than carrying on with Gordon Brown and his cronies.

And PR wouldn't work over here. Have you seen how indecisive the population is in terms of the popular vote? You'd have tons of bloated coalition governments that would get bogged down (like in Italy or Isreal).

[aeronuk1]

I think the way things are going under Gordon Brown at the moment there will be a Tory landslide. Just because Cameron is upper class doesn't mean he will be a bad PM, Winston Churchill was upper class too.

[omgomg53]

Why the hell would being upperclass be a detriment? Are people in the UK so envious of others' success or status that they wouldn't want to see a wealthy person in a position of power?

[aeronuk1]

It's not a problem if they're wealthy from their own effort. But most of the upperclass are wealthy through inheritance, thats what people object to.

[omgomg53]

Why would people object to that? Jealous? Shouldn't dying people be able to leave their money and personal property to whomever they wish?

[Svetlanka83]

Yes

[slimes23]

Winston Churchill was a hopeless and weak PM. A great war leader but one who was rejected three times in a row by the popular vote.

[idlevice066]

I doubt he will be the next Maggie I think he is too moderate and quite cute and fluffy when it comes to social issues ..BUT he will be the next PM I think were looking at a majority of 69-80 seats at the moment. However if things continue to go south for Brown Cameron may just pull a 100 seat landslide soo fingers crossed!

[mttmtmtm]

for better or for worse, the next british prime minister is no doubt David Cameron, the only question is when

[AKLAidan]

Latest poll shows the Conservatives have a lead of about 13 points. Excellent news, hope the lead increases.

[gladiator3543]

Polls change, just a month ago it was level pegging and remember the next election is more than a year away probably.

[gopconservative78]

The Tories at that rate should have a workable Majority of 65-70

[DAVIDCAMERONFORPM]

Latest is 19 point lead now! Bye Bye Nu Labour.

[artsed08]

More people voted for John Major in 1992 than they've ever voted for anyone else, before on since... 14,000,000 Brits.

[antidisenstable]

When you hear this theme tune, albeit only once every four or five years, you know you're british - kind of like our second national anthem.

[Wolverhampton1]

If you will!

[gopconservative78]

Prime Minister Kinnock...I rather eat shit that utter those words. Thank God the Tories won

[Wolverhampton1]

Oh well it will never be Prime Minister Cameron, so I guess Labour and Tories almost even, or will be when Mr Brown wins next year!

I wonder if Mr Hague will become the next Tory Leader (again) when Mr Cameron steps down on Friday 7th May 2010, when he loses the next general election?!

[gopconservative78]

To the polls right now nobody will be a majority, but I think the Tories will be the largest, however it should be noted in 2010, Labour will be tired and worn out. Its the Tories turn to win.

[slimes23]

This is so depressing.

[markhayo]

I vote that next time we all chip in to buy Peter Snow a decent suit that was coutured in Italy and not made in Bombay. That would make a Tory victory even sweeter. Shallow I know, but I am a Tory.

[Wolverhampton1]

I don't think there will be a Tory victory in 2010. 2015 maybe, but you watch - 2010 will be 1992 in reverse!

[Flavio359]

Seriously, after this Jon Snow must have been so pissed off that the exit poll was so wrong. I always liked John Major, the low key grey man, but he had to play historys' runt to Thatchers' pre-eminence much as Gordon Brown is having to do now before the next big electoral swing back to Blue.

[Wolverhampton1]

Nope not in 2010 - they may gain some seats but it will be 1992 in reverse - i.e. victory for Gordon!

[waltlantz]

I seriously never get why in ANY country anyone wants their party to be in rule "forever". You're just ASKING for corruption and laziness if you ask me.

[Andre2010]

"most famous street in the world"?

speak for yourself...

[mts1977]

Well, I guess that claim is a BIT arrogant I suppose. Most famous street in England perhaps....

[Georgiahulse]

That narrows it down from the entire planet to our little island. Big jump!

[artsed08]

"Our little island" invented parliamentary democracy and brought about the modern world. Size doesn't matter.

[Georgiahulse]

And doesn't it do it SO well with an un-elected head of state?

[slimes23]

So what if we don't have an elected head of state.

[Georgiahulse]

Sooo.....we can't really call ourselves a democracy when the highest figure in government is there simply for being born into that position. Presidents, no matter how well they fare, at least have to work to get to their position.

I would have thought you'd have worked that out to be honest! Mind you, as the only comment on your profile says "you're and idiot", and only an idiot would shun the importance of having a leader we can elect.

[slimes23]

Actually, you will find that most if not all democracies have people who are unelected and yet wield much more power than our monarch. If the queen was making policy it would be a different matter. You will also find that Gerald Ford was never elected and yet was able to conduct US foreign policy on a day to day basis.

I think you are confusing the role of leader in a practical sense with that of head of state.

[Georgiahulse]

Do their highest houses (for us, the House of Lords), comprise entirely of unelected people? Not one single member of Britain's highest court, and law making body were elected by the British people. They also have to swear to the Queen. Thankfully, some people have the courgae to stand up for freedom - as several MPs spoke out (while reading their oath), against the Queen. One once sat in her chair and said "I abolish the monarchy".

It's time we got rid of this ancient establishment.

[slimes23]

As per the 1949 parliament Act, the house of commons has the ability to dominate the Lords. In any case it is an entirely seperate issue from the monarchy. You're claim that not one single member of our highest court was elected is a little strange. Are you suggesting that we should have an elected judiciary? And have you forgotten about the supreme court? A Supreme Court justice has far more power than a member of the house of Lords.

[053bss]

Doesn't the fact that the Queen has no power just prove Georgiahulse's point? The PM's power is too great, and it needs balancing, that's why we need a President of Britain. Besides, why pend millions of taxpayers money on an eternal lame-duck head of state? It would be more cost-effective to have a republic.

[slimes23]

No because the existence of a non-party political head of state prevents the PM from becoming as 'presidential' as an actual US president. If we want to balance t5he power of the PM, we should do it by strengthening parliament, not by elected another figure head.

A presidency would be far more costly than a monarchy and and would lack the advantages I've mentioned.

[SERVANTOFSET]

Which is the most famous street in the world?

[LiverpoolLoyal1690]

Coronation street

[Wolverhampton1]

Yes well ok the tories did win by 21, but much good it didn't do them in the end.

Their shambolic incompetenece led to the last 11 years of Labour rule, and counting!

Cheers guys.......

[steps1]

what it also did was killed off socialism and it made the Labour party give up everything it ever stood for..adopt tory policies and have a 'tory' in charge in Blair in order to get elected..however, just like in 1979 when Thatcher came in to clean up the economic mess that Labour had left, history is repeating itself and Cameron will have to come in and clean up the horrific mess Brown has left

[theredraven]

No, the stupidity of the people of this country for voting for Nue Labore (as I call them) led to the last 11 years of shittyness.

[Wolverhampton1]

Oh right, you would have preferred a "do nothing" stagnant re-election of John Major in 1997 would you?

I hate to think what it would have been like. 1992 was bad enough!

[boris2341]

Ahhh i thought this was the 1992 presidential election in the united states.

[lelvish1]

Vote Liberal!

[tonyregan021177]

Lets hope the Conservatives get back in. Lets pray I should say. True Blue forever.

[Svetlanka83]

Thanks for uploading i remember watching this opening as a child.

[gopconservative94]

IN the end...Conservative Majority of 21

[Wolverhampton1]

Never mind a Tory majority of 21 in 1992 - I prefer t0 think of 1997, 2001 and 2005 myself:

Labour majorities of 179, 167 and 67 respectively.

Happy days.........

Bigger than

[artsed08]

Well, you'd better get rid of your telly in 2010, because you're not going to be a happy bunny when we all say farewell to thirteen years of New Labour.

Cannot wait!

[Wolverhampton1]

I don't think so arts; no chance of a Tory win. You'll see that I'm right in 15 months time!

[dartaddict]

Tory's lead has been cut from 25 points to 5 points.